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Josh Baker

The Waverley was a vibrant public house on Govan’s Water Row, close to the River Clyde and Govan’s slipway. The pub was so well known that King James V was said to have visited it for a covert drink – disguised as the ‘Guid Man of Ballengeich’ – to see what the people of his kingdom really thought of the crown.

Situated on the River Clyde, across from Zaha Hadid Architects’ Riverside Museum, the Buchanan Brewery recalls the cottages and pub of Water Row, as well as the new demolished Govan Yard of shipbuilders Harland and Wolff. The brewery aims to reference the many strands of Govan’s history, using strategic landscaping and carefully framed views of the river to celebrate the architectural and cultural heritage of Govan.

By bringing new life and activity to Water Row, the Buchanan Brewery intends to become an economic, cultural and social gateway. The brewery uses food waste from Glasgow’s bread-making industry to create a distinctive beer. The building generates its own electricity and recycles brown water to close energy and water cycles, with all bi-products going towards agriculture, fuel production, and energy generation.